Immigration

Our firm assists you, revises your application and represents you at every step of the way.

Thousands of people arrive in Canada every year. We are well aware that the decision to leave one’s country is sometimes difficult and that the immigration process can be challenging, which is why we are committed to helping you and making your immigration as simple as possible.

So if you wish to come to Quebec or anywhere else in Canada, hesitate no more!

Temporary Residence

For temporary residence applications, it is very important to demonstrate the temporary nature of your stay in Canada and show that you have the necessary funds to meet your needs during your stay. Your medical condition and the absence of a criminal record could also be taken into consideration.

Visitor visa

Are you planning on visiting Canada? Make sure to have the necessary travel authorizations as the requirements vary according to your country of origin and the transportation you use to get to Canada.

For example, travellers from certain countries must have a visa before entering Canada, no matter the transportation used (plane, car, bus, train, cruise ship). Travellers from countries exempt from visa requirements, on the other hand, are asked to possess an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) in order to board a plane for Canada.

Do you need a visitor visa but don’t know where to start?Contact us before submitting your application and we will be happy to walk you through the process as well as revise your application.

Parent and grandparent super visa

Generally, visitors are admitted in Canada for a maximum period of six months after which, if they wish to stay longer, they have to apply to extent their stay, which will come with additional fees.

However, if you have children or grandchildren who are permanent residents or Canadian citizens, please note that there is a visa for your situation. Unlike the visitor visa, the parent and grandparent super visa is valid for ten years and enables you to stay in Canada for a maximum period of two years during your first visit, without the need to apply for an extension.

Contact us if you wish to know if you are eligible for this Super visa.

Business visitor

Do you plan on visiting Canada for business purposes and are wondering if you need a work permit or a special visa to enter the country? Generally, the answer would be no, as long as you come to Canada to take part in international business activities and not to enter the Canadian job market directly.

However, keep in mind that the visitor visa and eTA requirements remain the same regardless of whether you enter Canada as a visitor or as a business visitor. Take the time to get well informed as in some cases, a work permit may be required. Contact us!

Study permit

Do you plan on studying in Canada and just received an acceptance letter from your desired program? The next step is to obtain your study permit before coming to Canada, but how to go about it?

Make sure to know what the requirements are because they differ according to the duration of the program, and whether or not your family members are with you. Also, if you plan on studying in Quebec, it will be necessary to fill out and submit a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) prior to applying for your study permit.

Remember that your application will have to convince the immigration officer of the temporary nature of your stay in Canada. Therefore, a well-built study permit application often requires more documents than expected. Contact us before submitting your application!

Work permit

Do you wish to work in Canada and have heard about open and employer-specific work permits but aren’t sure which one applies to your situation?

Generally, work permits can be issued for a certain category of people, which is comprised of young graduates, young workers who are part of special programs, spouses of certain workers or foreign students, and people who have applied for permanent residence in Canada.

Employer-specific permits link the foreign worker to an employer who has to get a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) before the worker applies for the work permit. The employer also has to submit an offer of employment through the Employer Portal in addition to paying certain fees.

The whole process of applying for a work permit, especially the application for the LMIA, can be complex and challenging, which is why we invite you to contact us to schedule a consultation about the subject. Furthermore, if an employer wishes to hire you but is reluctant about dealing with the process, please note that we offer a free telephone consultation to employers who want to hire foreign workers.

Permanent residence

For permanent residence applications, it is very important to submit complete documents, otherwise, your application could be discarded and unprocessed. Contact us before submitting your application and we will revise it for you.

Graduates & skilled workers

If you studied in Canada, are on your way of obtaining a Quebec diploma or have legally held a specialized job in Canada, you may be eligible for the Quebec Experience Program, also known as the PEQ. You must, however, respect certain conditions, notably to show that you have an advanced intermediate knowledge of spoken French and that you plan on settling down in Quebec./p>

A very interesting aspect of this program is that it enables you to submit and obtain a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) for permanent residence within a period of around 20 days! In order to fully take advantage of this short delay, make sure to send in complete documents as an incomplete file will be returned to you. Feel free to contact us to have your file checked; this will save you time!

If you are not qualified for the PEQ, you could be eligible for the Regular Skilled Worker Program, which selects its applicants by using a point grid. In this program, the characteristics regarding your accompanying spouse or common-law spouse are taken into consideration as are the diplomas, obtained in Quebec or abroad, and the work experience.

If you think you qualify for any one of these programs, contact us for an evaluation. It will be our pleasure to guide you through the process of obtaining your permanent residence!

Reuniting families: Family Class sponsorship

The Canadian government undertook the project to reunite more families and to process the sponsorship of spouses, common-law partners, and conjugal partners within 12 months.

If you wish to sponsor your spouse, common-law or conjugal partner, please note that there are two types of sponsorships: the overseas sponsorship program and the in-Canada program. For the latter, there is currently a pilot project which makes it possible to submit a work permit application with the in-Canada sponsorship application. The issued work permit will usually be valid for the duration your sponsorship application is being processed.

Are you missing your loved ones and wish to know more about the procedure for family class sponsorship? Contact us!

Humanitarian and compassionate grounds

If you wish to become a Canadian permanent resident but do not qualify under any program and are in an exceptional situation, you may qualify to apply for permanent residence for humanitarian reasons. These requests are treated on a case-by-case basis and the following factors are used to determine if a permanent residence application for humanitarian reasons should be granted:

the level of establishment in Canada;

family ties in Canada;

the best interest for a child;

the consequences if the request is refused.

The risk of persecution if you return to your country of origin or home country is not considered in applications for permanent residence for humanitarian reasons. Refer to the following section: Asylum claims.

Asylum claims

In Canada’s humanitarian tradition, asylum is offered to certain people on its territory who fear persecution if they return to their country because of:

their race;

their religion;

their political opinions;

their nationality;

their association to a social group, for example, women or members of a sexual minority.

More precisely, persecution means the risk of torture, of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment, and life threats. Therefore, if you are in Canada and believe that you will be persecuted by returning to your country of origin or home country, you may be entitled to seek protection in Canada as a refugee. Contact us to learn more.

Others

Problematic situations

Our firm also takes care of problematic situations such as the reinstatement of a status following a loss of status, medical inadmissibility and inadmissibility.

If you are in one of these situations, please contact us quickly to learn about your options to stay in Canada legally.

Appeals

In addition to providing support in the preparation and submission of your immigration applications, our firm also provides representation services in court, including before the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) and its various divisions: the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD), the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) and the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD).

When an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) conference is possible at the IAD, the firm favors this approach, which is said to be informal, less confrontational and more consensual in order to resolve appeals.

Citizenship

Have you been a permanent resident for many years and want to become a Canadian citizen? Before applying for your citizenship, make sure you meet the requirements.

Remember to stay tuned as new measures will come into effect in the fall of 2017 regarding the physical presence requirements as a temporary resident or protected person before becoming a permanent resident.

You could therefore qualify earlier than expected! Contact us for an evaluation.

Contact us

Rendez-vous only

The legal content displayed on this website does not constitute any legal advice or opinion, and serves only as information. The facts on this website do not replace a consultation with a lawyer and should never be used to make a decision. For any legal opinion on your situation, please contact us.